The effect of acute cigarette smoke inhalation on the plasma levels of theophylline administered orally and parenterally to rats has been studied. The animals were exposed to smoke containing low- or high-nicotine/tar concentration for 10 min immediately after oral, intraperitoneal (i.p.) or intravenous (i.v.) administration of theophylline. The plasma levels of theophylline when administered orally (20 mg kg-1) were lower in the two cigarette smoke-inhaling groups than in the non-smoking restrained control group, with the lowest values in the high-nicotine/tar group. The plasma levels (8 and 12 h after administration) in the high-nicotine/tar group when theophylline was administered i.p. (10 mg kg-1), were also slightly lower than in the non-smoking restrained control group but this was not significant. When theophylline was administered i.v. (5 mg kg-1), there was no difference between the high-nicotine/tar group and the non-smoking restrained control group. These data indicate that cigarette smoke inhalation causes suppression or delay of theophylline absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.